Pop-corn-coating machine



June 3 1924. 1,496,187

E. WAGNER P0P CORN COATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4, 1923 Patented June 3, 1924.

UNTED STATES ERIC WAGNER, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

POP-CORN-COATING MACHINE.

Application filed October 4, 1923. Serial No. 666,516.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ERIC IVAGNER, citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pop-Corn-Coating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the way of a machine for coating pop-corn with chocolate or any other desired confection, and the object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kind which is relatively simple in construction and effective in operation.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 2 is an end View;

Figure 3 is a top plan View;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section.

The invention includes a tank 1, which is open at the top side'and is adapted to hold a liquid confection such as chocolate. Posts 2 are mounted medially on the sides of this tank, and a supporting rod 3 is rigidly extended between these posts. Before the rod 3 is mounted in position, however, a tubular stub shaft or sleeve 4 is slipped over at one end so as to afford a rotative bearing on the rod 3 at that end. A small pulley wheel 5 is then rigidly mounted on the sleeve 4. A reticulated inner and stationary drum 6 is rigidly mounted on the rod 3 which passes through the center of the drum. An annular, reticulated, outer and rotary drum or corn hopper 7 is mounted over the inner drum 6, one side 10 thereof being brought down and having a rigid connection with the sleeve 4 at the point 8, and the other side 11 being brought down and having a rotative bearing upon the inner drum 6 at the point 9. The outer drum 7 is left open around its inner periphery adjacent the outer closed periphery of the inner drum 6, and is thus rotatively mounted over the inner drum 6, the latter always remaining stationary. The outer drum 7 is divided radially by a plurality of reticulated partitions 12, the extended planes of which mark the axis of the rod 3. An intake hopper 13 is mounted at the exposed side of the inner drum 6, the side of the drum being cut away at this point to afford an opening 14 through which the chute 15 is extended inwardly and downwardly and then turned radially outwardly and passed through an opening 16 formed in the periphery of the inner drum 6, the mouth 17 of the chute ending flush with the said periphery. An outlet chute 18 is mounted immediately back of the hopper 13, and has its inner mouth 19 set flush through an opening 20 formed through the periphery of the inner drum 6, at an upper point therein, so that the coated corn may fall by gravity through the chute 18, which is then extended downwardly and turned laterally and ends in the outer mouth 21 which is passed out through the opening 14 in the side of the inner drum 6. An air line 23 may be mounted in connection with the apparatus, the same having a draft fan 24 set therein and having a nozzle 25 adapted to blow the air laterally across the top portion of the tank 1 at a point back of the chute 18. A motor 26 is mounted to drive the fan 24. Reduction gears 27 are mounted in connection with the motor shaft, and a pulley 28 is mounted at the side of the final gear. A belt 29 connects the pulleys 5 and 28.

In operation, the popped corn is loaded into the intake hopper 13 whence it falls by gravity through the chute 15 into the outer drum 7, and between any two of the partitions 12 which may happen to be positioned opposite the mouth 17 of the chute as the drum 7 rotates. As the drum 7 is slowly rotated by the motor, say in a clockwise direction, the corn is carried under the liquid confection in the tank 1 and thoroughly im-,

mersed therein and coated with the confection, such as liquid chocolate. As the drum 7 continues to rotate, the corn in the first compartment is gradually raised out of the liquid confection at the opposite end of the tank, and at the same time, the air from the nozzle 25 dries it. As 'it is then carried on upward in the drum, it reaches the mouth 19 of the outlet chute 18, whence it falls by gravity down through the chute 18 and out at the mouth 21. Meanwhile the other several compartments of the drum 7 are i being successively loaded and treated in turn and finally discharged through the chute 18.

While I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, as defined'in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a tank open at the top and adapted to hold a liquid confection; a reticulated and stationary inner drum mounted to depend over the tank; a reticulated outer drum rota tively mounted over the inner drum, the said outer drum being open around its inner periphery next the outer periphery of the inner drum, and having a plurality of transverse partitions forming compartments; an intake chute leading and adapted to feed into the several compartments of the out-er drum as the latter revolves; an outlet chute adapted to discharge the product from the compartments of the outer drum as the latter revolves; and means for rotating the outer drum.

2. In a device of the kind described, a. tank open at the top and adapted to hold a liquid confection; a reticulated and stationary inner drum mounted to depend over the tank; a reticulated outer drum rotatively mounted over the inner drum, the said outer drum being open around its inner periphery next the outer periphery of the inner drum, and having a plurality of transverse partitions forming compartments; an intake chute leading and adapted to feed into the several compartments of the outer drum as the latter revolves; an outlet chute adapted to discharge the product from the compartments of the outer drum as the latter revolves; means for rotating the outer drum; and means for air drying the product as it rises from the tank in the several compartments of the outer drum.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

7 ERIC WAGNER. Witnesses FREDRUETER, J OHN MARX. 

